Improvement in advertising-desks



J. D. D. MORTIMER. ADVERTISING DESKS.

Patented Sept. 5, '1876.

In Venior V lobal-DJ flariimar Jiiorn 9y.

VYWLMLQQAWM iwkW- N. PEYERS. PHOTO LTHCGFAFHER, WASHINGTON D C PATENT Or fice.

- JOHN D. D. MORTIMER; OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

, IMPROVEMENT IN ADVEIRITISING-DESKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,863, dated September 5, 1876; application filed July 0, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. D. MORTIMER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in AdvertisingDesks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to which my said invention appertains to make, construct, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of a desk suitable to place upon the counter of a hoteloflice, store, or other place to which the public resort, said desk having receptacles to contain advertising cards or circulars, and likewise a revolving platform to contain a hotel-register or other memorandum-book, or book of photographs, or other book for general or special consultation or reference.

The desk consists of a base, A, constructed of lumber, sheet metal, or other suitable substance, of any size and shape required, the semicircular shape being preferable. The space upon said base A, which adjoins the circular edge a thereof to within about six or eight inches of the straight edge I) of said base A, and as far toward the interior or center of said base A as may be desirable, is divided by thin partitions cc, composed of wood, glass, sheet metal, pasteboard, or other suitable ma terial, into receptacles d d, of suitable width, depth, and height to contain advertising cards or circulars, or whatever else it may be desirable to place or to exhibit therein. That portion of the space of said base A which is situate between the straight edge b and the rear extremity of said receptacles d d is inclosed by a back board, e, of the same height as the partitions c c, permanently fastened upon said base A at its straight edge b, along the entire length of said straight edge, and by the back partitions f f of the receptacles d d, and also by a thin top board, B, resting upon the back board 6 and the back partitions ff, and securely fastened to said back board and back partitions, extending merely to the back of the receptacles d d, or projecting a little th'ereover, as may be desired. A square platform, 0, made of wood, metal, or other suitable material, about one-third the area of the base A, is fastened on top of the pivot 'g, which is poised on the base A, and passes upward through the top board B at about its center, said platform 0 being suitable to hold a hotel-register, or other book where memoranda or records are kept, or book of photographs, or other book consulted by the public. Those portions of the base A lying between the outer extremities or ends of the straight edge I) and the receptacles d d are divided, by thin partitions of wood, sheet metal, or other suitable substance, into small boxes ll, for containing envelopes, matches, tooth-picks, an inkstand, &c. Attached rigidly to said pivot y, and within the inclosure lying between the receptacles d d and the back board 6, is an eccentric wheel, h, the periphery of which, at the part farthest removed from the shaft of the pivot g, impinges upon a slide, i, constructed of sheet metal, glass, or any other suitable material, and ibrcesmhe said slidet' through a slot or mortise, 2, made in the top of the back partition f of one of the receptacles d, into full view from the front part of the desk, upon which portion of the slider thus exposed to view may be printed or painted any device calculated to draw attention to the desk, or to its object, said slide 6 being automatically restored to its concealed position by a spiral spring, y, or other flexible contrivance properly adjusted for the purpose, as soon as, and

whenever, the revolving of the pivot g removes the pressure of the eccentric wheel 71. from the slide 2'. The contents of the receptacles d (1 may be preserved from projecting out of the same by partial or scalloped front pieces k k, and the partitions c 0 may be hollowed or scalloped out, so as to permit the easy removal of cards or other contents of the receptacles d d.

My desk may, and is designed to, be used in the OffiOBS of hotels, boarding-houses, ex-

press-offices, and in all other places where names of persons are registered or records of any kind are kept for inspection.

The chief object of my said invention is to promote conspicuous advertising by enabling persons to place their advertising cards or samples in the receptacles d d, the same being 2 is sos so conspicuous asto attract the attention of whosoever may consult theiregi'ster or'record for any purpose; and to still further add to the novelty and effectiveness of the advertising by placing upon that portion of tli'e sl'iil'e' i which is brought'into view by the pressure of the eccentric wheel hi the words Take-a card, or other device. There may be any practicable quantity of receptacles, d d for cards or samples, andthey maybe of anysize and shape required.

Having thus fully described my invention, 1 what I claimas new, anddesire'to-secure-by Letters Patent, is

The. cornbinatiom of the base; A:,. provided =withreceptacles d-i'and" l, t'hezrevolwingif top. 0,

having pi'vot g and eccentric h, the slide i, and the spring 3;, all substantiallyas herein shown .md'described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing I E"have hercun-tcset'rny liand this 13th day of June, A. D. 1876. 

